Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-19
BY WILLIAM T. HORNADAY,
Author OF 1.-TWO Years In the Jungle
lCopyright, 1887. All rights reserved. J

me light OF blazing match fell on the dial OF my
watch. Up sprang everybody and while Mack
cooked breakfast we who were to go hastened tc
feed and saddle our horses With more haste than
ceremony we disposed of a hearty breakfas, Of
juicy antelope steaks and brown gravy pocketed
haii-a-dozen bareback TO lunch upon, mounted
our horses and trotted OF. just as the first faint
glow OF morning light was distinguishable above
the tops OF the high ridges east OF us And now
let me Introduce my cowboys
This Is Mr.. Irwin Boyd the foreman OF my "out-
nj, or, In other words. my lieutenant who takes
the most responsibility In carrying out the details
OF our work and the care OF my stock. He Is
tWenty-four years old, from Nebraska, Intelligent,
good natured and jolly, but a hard rider He has
the keenest eyes for sighting objects afeld
All things Considered. shall always regard NV
selection OF foreman was most happy one
MI. Jim MeNaney here is De old b1ffalo hunter
OF the party. Although only 20 he has spent four
winters on the buffalo range and killed abou
$500 head buffalo would need wings to ever
get away from Jim after he had once spotted IL.
He is not only the best shot OF the party but he
understands the habits OF the animal most thor
oughly. From nrst 70 last on our whole trip Jim
never let buffalo get away after once starting
for IL. believe he would chase one to Hudson
bay before he would give up and let it escape him.
10 death after buffalo If the occasion seemed TO
REQUIRE NJ IL was lucky thing for me when
ae hum 20 WS up az MILES, CITY and
have only half as many a We finally got
And this man with the handsome black mus
tache Is Mr.. l. 3. RUSSELL a Texas cowboy, who
halls from Michigan. He one OF the tolliest feI-
lows Imaginable, more lively than negro min
strel and great joker Like Boyd and me, he had
was very ambitious that his send should be kept
up"
Ike snow shortly after sunrise we found the
trail OF our seven buffalo at the head OF Calf
the rugged butte country behind us and entered a
tract OF country the like OF which never saw be-
fore and hope never TO see again. 1t was composed
OF a succession OF rolling hills and deep holows
smooth enough on the surface to look ct but like
desert OF sand hills 10 get over. The soil was
loose and crumbly, like 50 much ashes, and the
horses hOofs sank In IL half way 10 the fetlocks at
every step. But there was something worse The
whole surface was cracked and scanned with a
perfect network OF great cracks from two to four
Inches wide. into which the horses stepped every
yard or twO and sank down still farther. with
many uresome wrench TO the joints. IL was ter
nble ground TO make matters as bad as possible
athick grow tn OF sage brush, or else grease wood
was everywhere present for the horses to struggle
through, and when IL came 10 dragging loaded
wagon across that twelve-mile tract of "bad
grounds" "gunOo ground" or "helrs bottom as
work.
We followed the trail closely. as fast as our
horses could go through that awful ground, aAd
by noon We had crossed the head OF Taylor creek
tributary OF the AuSSeshell. Immediately south
OF IL was 4 two-mile tract OF smooth ground with
standing grass upon IL, backed by stretch OF
rugged. high, and Withholding butte country. We
AIu very difficult work TO carry the trail through
,nat sLanaag grass and when IL fnaly led into
ana only buffalo grass grew, we had TO give it up
entirely.
At high noon Jim and Boyd halted on the top OF
lofty ridge TO look the country over with the glass
Tor about the nrtieth time that day and Russell
anu unsaddied at point mile from there, TO
rest our horses and let them Craze while we ate
our lunch We had scanned the whole country
Win our glass again and again. and there was not
Presently We saw Boyd and Jim mount their
horses and come trotting swiftly along the ridge
toward US.
We've spotted the buffalo, ~ cried Boyd, as they
rode up
do you see that high butte yonder with the
miles away.
Well the buffalo are lying down I'm a little
couhe just this side Of that
Good: Wen rest cur horses a little longer,
Two miles OF rugged ravines and deep coulies lay
Desween US and the game, which was not TO be
higher point either without the glass we let our
horses Craze and rest for the remainder OF the
ho9r While We lay az full Length on the carpet of
buffalo grass, and then We saddled up and made
ready.
Vow, jim, said, '.you are the old buffalo hun
Ter, you take the lead and will follow You. Lets
get good standing shot at them IL possible, and
linen Tor the chase When we fire from the ground,
let the men on the night and left take the buffalo
On their own sides, 50 that We won't all shoot at
the same one Now, go ahead
Ji,n led the way, and we followed In Indian file
~,
lowed along Its bed for some distance. We crossed
ridges, rode along more coues and when close TO
oua sane sa,e 70 one That had me water In IT, IL
was Just what We wanted, and We let our horses
drink while We gladly refreshed ourselves also. In
The last couiie the one next TO where the buffalo
were lying We left horses sIalAed carefully up
To the top OF the next ridge. and looked over all
ready To fire. No buffalo. Then We cautiously
climbed up 20 high point on the side or the tail
butte, and again looked over. i looked across a
deep basin 10 the top of rather low, Hat topped
butte. two hundred and NIFTY. yards away. and
n oh
top. .1fhose must be rocks, thought
..Doxn, fellers! CIT Dorm, Git down. quick!
There they are" sale Jim, IN thrilling stage
Bsqraio at last, by Joye. We crouched down
and sneaked back Back we ran 10 our horses
sprang into our saddles, and rode through more
coulieS and Up TO the very foot OF the butte on
which the little herd was lying. once mere we
GiSiIOunted, threw our reins over horses heads
and the faithful brutes began to nibble at the
short grass, while stalkeC quickly up the steeD
and rocky hillside. The first point we made was
too far away; so We backed down and made for
another nearer 70 our game, but still two hundred
yards away. We reached the breastw0rk OF rugged
rocks at the edge OF the hill and cautiously looked
over IT, or course, the wind was blowing toward
Us ON the bare, hat top OF the miniature table
Land lay fourteen buffalo, basking In the warm
sunshine, noses pointing up the wind.
The needs OF the hour and the length OF the
chase up To that point made it an exciting mo-
ment- told the boys when we took the trail that
We found those seven buffalo would hot be sat
sfied unless We got them oU Well they had been
joined by seven more somehow / felt INSTINCT
10 XII buffalo at 100 yards when he is lying
down. IL you miss the yertebral column, even by
two inebeS-gOOd eveniag Impressed by this
whispered In Jiins ear:
Hadn't We better wait until they stand up so
as To get at their lungs?"
''NO." said jim, ave must take 'em as they are
or they IA be on Aim pretty low and now feilerS.
don't get exrped, and don't fire too quick"
Every one teGs excited all the same but every
one nrmly resolved that he wouldn't be the one
Ito make mess OF IT,"
''Put up yer sights for 200 yards said Jim as
We gently slid our rifie barrels over the rocks We
got our guns into position. and drew a bead on a
cow bun alO which lay or on the extreme LEI.
There WAS pause of half a minute or so 10 give
everyone a chance 70 get good ready then some
one said:
zone. Two, threer-bang!
Up Sprang my cow, the first upon her feet and
wheeled completely around as III she had a 1T I'D
sprang all the buffalo, ana with a grand rush
away they started Levers and breech- blocks
made o lively rattle as four empty and smoking
shells were hung out, and four loaded Cartridges
thrown ~ with jerk.
Bang. Dang, Dang!- went the rides at the
flying herd, which ran from Us, wheeled to the
left 10 get an easier descent, and swept down the
steep slONe like an avalanche
Again We worked our levers, and again poured
our bullets into them as they ran.
ITO your horses. bOySi" cried Boyd as he started
DOWN the hill sc fun speed. Fool that was
fingered 70 get one more sho. at the flying herd
and TO see whether At least buffalo had not
been brought down. No, bad luck To US all am
compelled To admit that not even one buffalo had
fallen This was terrible.
As | turned and started for my horse Bow,
dashed away at fri speed, and an instant later
linn MAS after him. M horse had great mind